A New York man is facing charges related to a scheme in which he allegedly impersonated a corporate executive from Connecticut to steal an $810,000 tax refund. The indictment, announced yesterday by a federal grand jury in Boston, charges 63-year-old Steven Ware with one count of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Ware's legal troubles began with his arrest on September 10, according to an announcement by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Documents indicate that Ware's scheme started in December 2023, when he allegedly opened bank accounts under the name of an unsuspecting company and its executive. He is accused of using the executive's personal information, including their full name and Social Security number, to do so. In a role that was not his to play, Ware allegedly deposited a significant Treasury check for $810,337 into these accounts, as outlined in the press release.
After the check was cleared and the funds were available, Ware reportedly used a debit card linked to the account for a spending spree in New York, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. The scheme also included impersonating the executive to carry out a series of wire transfers exceeding $634,000.
Bank fraud can result in severe penalties, with sentences of up to 30 years in prison, while aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory additional two years for each count. The financial repercussions are significant as well, with potential fines reaching up to $1 million for bank fraud and $250,000 for aggravated identity theft. "Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case," as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI's Boston Division and the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation Boston Field Office, were involved in the investigation leading to Ware's indictment. The Tyngsborough Police Department also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil is overseeing the case.
